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O-246-C . CITY OF CLERMONT . CODE ORDINANCES No. 246-C AN ORDINANCE UNDER THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF CLERMONT, LAKE COUNTY, FLORIDA, AMENDING ORDINANCE 195, AS AMENDED AND INCORPORATED IN CHAPTER 16, ARTICLE I OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF CLERMONT, PROVIDING FOR CERTAIN CHANGES IN THE PENSION PLAN FOR ALL CITY EMPLOYEES, PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ARTICLE IV, RETIREMENT PLAN AND TRUST FOR THE GENERAL EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF CLERMONT, FLORIDA, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE, AND PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CLERMONT HEREBY ORDAINS THAT: Chapter 16, Article I, Pensions and Retirement is hereby amended as follows: SECTION 1. Section 16-1. Definitions. Subsection (ss) shall be added as follows: "QVEC" shall mean Quali- fied Voluntary Employee Contributions as defined in Section 219 of the Internal Revenue Code." Subsection (sss) shall be added as follows: "QVEC Account" shall mean the individual participants account". Subsection (w) is amended by adding the following thereto: "Where a bank has not been apointed as Trustee, Trustee shall mean that entity comprised of one or more individuals who from time to time are appointed by the City Council to serve in a designated capacity with respect to this Plan and Trust, or are otherwise delegated responsibility as Trustee by the City Council". Section 16-1-1 Gender shall be added as follows: "Wherever pronouns are used in this Article I, masculine shall include the feminine and the neuter, the feminine shall include the masculine and the neuter, the neuter shall include the masculine and feminine, and ~he singular shall include the plural unless the context shall indicate otherwise". Section 16-3. Membership and service. Subsection (a) shall be changed to read as follows: "Original Members." All employees who were employed by the City on September 30, 1985, and who elected to remain as members of the plan, shall participate in the plan as of the effective date (November 1, 1960). T~o offective date of this plan for Volunteer Firemen shall be October 1, 1979". Subsection (b) shall be changed to read as follows: "New General employees shall be required to participate in the General Employees Plan as established in Article IV as of October 1, 1985, the effective date of this amendment. Other new full-time permanent employees and Volunteer Firemen will become eligible to participate in the prior plan (Article I, Clermont Pension Plan) on the first day of the month following or coinciding with the date of their employment. Section 16-4. Contributions and funding. Subsection (d) shall be amended by adding the following sentence thereto: "Any QVEC Contributions must be transferred to the Trustee within thirty (30) days after the date of receipt of such contribu- tions by the City". Subsection (e) shall be amended by adding the following sentence thereto: "Investments shall be subject to Article IV, Section 16-61(c). ·' CITY OF CLERMONT . CODE ORDINANCES No. 246-C Page -2- Section 16-5. Retirement and retirement benefits. Subsection (b) shall be amended by changing the following words, in the second paragraph thereof: "...one and one-tenth per cent (1.1%) of the first five hundered and fifty dollars ($550.00) of average monthly earnings, plus two per cent (2~) of average monthly earnings in excess of five hundred and fifty dollars ($550.00)..." to read as follows: "two per cent (2%) of average monthly earnings..." Subsection (f) shall be deleted and replaced by the following: "A death benefit is established in accordance with Article IV., Section 16-60(a)(3) of this ordinance. Subsection (h) shall be amended by adding the following paragraph thereto: "Except as otherwise provided herein, the normal form of benefit distribution under this plan shall be a "joint and last survivor annuity" for participants who are married at the time of retirement or, if earlier, married during the one year period prior to termination of employment. The normal form of benefit for a participant who is not married at the time of retirement or, if earlier, the one year period prior to termi- nation of employment, shall be an annuity whose payments cease on the death of the participant". Subsection (h) shall be further amended by deleting "Option 3" and replacing same with the following: "Option 3. Other. In lieu of the other optional forms enumerated in this section, benefits may be paid in any form approved by the Trustee, other than "Lump Sum", so long as actuarial equivalence with the bene- fits otherwise payable is maintained. Notwithstanding the pre- vious sentence or this option, the Council may elect to pay lump sum distribution in accordance with Article I, Section 16-7 (r)." Subsection (0) shall be added as follows: ment benefit is established in accordance 16-60(a)(2) of this ordinance. "A Disability Retire- with Article IV, Section Section 16-7. Administration of the plan. Subsection (r) shall be deleted and replaced by the following: "Small annuities, lump sum payments. If the commuted or present value of a retirement annuity, other than accumulated Qualified Voluntary Employee contributions, is less than $3,500 (three thousand five hundred dollars), the Council may elect to pay the commuted or present value in one lump sum, without the participant's consent. No distribution may be made under the preceding sentence after the annuity starting date unless the participant and the participant's spouse consent in writing to such distribution." Section 16-10. Amendment. This section shall be amended by adding the following sentence: "Amendments or termination of this plan shall be in accordance with Article IV, Section 16-62 of this ordinance. Section 16-11. Qualified Voluntary Employee Contributions shall be added as follows: "QVEC's are authorized and shall be in accordance with Article IV, Section 16-58 of this ordinance". , CITY OF CLERMONT . CODE ORDINANCES No. 246-C , Page -3- Section 2. Article IV, Separate Retirement Plan and Trust for General Employees is hereby established as follows: "A General Employee Pension Plan, as separate from Article I, Clermont Pension Plan, incorporated as Chapter 16 of the City of Clermont Code of Ordinances is hereby established and a plan document which is Article IV, Retirement Plan and Trust for General Employees of the City of Clermont, Florida, is attached to this Ordinance and is on file in the City Clerk's office. Section 3. All ordinances or parts of this ordinance in conflict herewith are here- by repealed. Should any section or part of this section be declared invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, such ajudicatons shall not apply or affect any other provision of this ordinance, except to the extent that the entire section or part of the section may be inseparable in meaning and effect from the section to which such holding shall apply. Section 4. This ordinance shall be published as provided by law law and shall take effect upon adoption. First Reading this 9-€Æ day of ~/, þ((L . /" Second Reading this ~~ day of L and it shall become , 1986. , 1986. PASSED AND ORDAINED BY COUNTY, FLORIDA, THIS THE CIT); COUNCIL OF J~!-TY :lJ. /?UL DAY OF /Ú.,:,c, OF CLERMONT, LAKE , 1986. CITY OF CLERMONT ø4-/?¿ Robert A. Pool, Mayor Attest: ~/ E /&/ÿ( ~p~. Van Zile¡'ctty Clerk , .. \. 4J CLERMONT CODE CHAPTER 16 ARTICLE IV ( RETIREMENT PLAN AND TRUST FOR THE GENERAL EMPLOYEES OF THE ... CITY OF CLERMONT, FLORIDA Effective October 1, 1985 I Section Paragraph 16-54 Definitions (a) (b) 16-55 16-56 16-57 16-58 16-59 Coverage and (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) Contributions (a) (b) (c) (d) ~ INDEX RETIREMENT PLAN AND TRUST FOR THE GENERAL EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF CLERMONT, FLORIDA Topic Definitions Gender Eligibility Qualification as a participant Reparticipation Leave of Absence Military Leave of Absence Continuation of Employment Recognition as Participant participant Agrees to Plan Contribution Formula Payment of Contributions Annual Additions Exclusive Benefit of Participants Allocation of City Contribution TO Pension Accounts (a) During the Year of Termination of Employment (b) Accounting for Annual Allocations Qualified (a) (b) (c) (d) Voluntary Employee Contributions QVEC'S Authorized participant Election & withdrawal Remittance of participant's QVEC by the City Trustee Administration and Invest- ment of QVEC'S Accounting for Participants' Interests in Pension Accounts (a) Valuation Date of Pension Accts. (b) Reductions (c) Forfeitures (d) Valuation and Allocation (e) Segregated Accounts for Former Participants i Page 10 10 11 12 12 13 13 14 14 15 16 17 17 18 18 22 22 25 25 26 26 27 3 9 \. / 16-6Ø 16-61 16-62 16-63 Benefits (a) (b) (c) (d) Rights and (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) Amendment and (a) (b) (c) (d) Miscellaneous (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j) (k) (1) (m) (n) (0) (p) (q) (r) i . From Pension Accounts Full Distribution of Benefits Other Termination of Employment Maximum Time Benefits Must Commence Termination of participation 28 31 34 34 Duties of the Trustee Acceptance of Trust Assets Held as Single Fund Investments Records and Reports Compensation and Expenses Communication in writing Fiduciary Responsibility Removal and Resignation of Agents and Employees Trustee 35 35 35 38 38 39 39 39 4Ø Termination Right to Amend or Terminate Assumption by Successor Permanent Discontinuance of Contributions Distribution of Funds in Event of Plan Termination 41 42 42 43 Nonrestriction of the City's Employment and Business Policies 45 Interest in Fund not Subject to Creditor's Claims 45 Predecessor Employer 45 Intention to Continue plan 46 Continuation of Plan by Successor Employer 46 Controlled or Affiliated Service Group 47 Rights Against City 47 Minors and Incompetents 47 Applicable Law 48 Mistake of Fact 48 Restrictions on Return of Contributions 48 Claims 49 Transfer of Interest 5Ø Agent for Service of Process 51 Alternate Payees 51 Limitations on Benefits of Certain Employees Interest on Late Benefit Payments 54 Protection Against Fraud and Deceit 54 ii · '. RETIREMENT PLAN AND TRUST FOR THE GENERAL EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF CLERMONT, FLORIDA THIS AGREEEMENT is effective as of October 1, 1985, by and between the City of Clermont, Florida, a municipality incorporated under the laws of the State of Florida, hereinafter called the "City", and the Board of Trustees ("Trustee") as duly appointed by the City Council of the City of Clermont, Florida, hereinafter called the "Council". WHEREAS, Article VIII, section 2(b) of the Florida Constitution and Florida Statute 166.Ø21 provide, in part, that municipalities shall have all powers necessary to conduct municipal government and to take all action related thereto unless expressly prohibited by law; and WHEREAS, Chapter 112 (Part VII), Florida Statutes establishes standards to be followed by municipalities in the operation of retirement plans for their employees; and 1 ~ '. WHEREAS, on , 198__ the City enacted Ordinance No. which authorized the establishment the Retirement Plan and Trust for the General Employees of the City of Clermont, effective October 1, 1985; and WHEREAS, this plan is intended to comply with provisions of Chapter 112 (Part IV) , Florida Statutes, and to qualify under Section 401 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended. NOW, THEREFORE, in order to provide the terms of the said plan and Trust, the parties hereto agree as follows: 2 . . SECTION 16-54 DEFINITIONS (a) Statement of Definitions. ,(1) "Act" shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as it may have been or hereafter may be amended. ,(2) "Annuity" shall mean annual payments for life to be paid in equal monthly installments on the last day of the month in which the same accrue. \.\. Such payments shall be made on a calendar month basis and the payment for any month may be prorated if appropriate. '(3) "Anniversary date" shall mean September 30 of each year. '(4) "Beneficiary" shall mean the person or persons (natural or artificial) entitled to receive any amount under this Plan in the event of the death of a Participant. ,(5) "Benefits" shall mean any payment to a Participant or his Beneficiary under this Plan. ,(6) "Board of Trustees", or "Trustee" shall mean that entity comprised of those individuals who from time to time are appointed by the City Council to serve in a designated capacity with respect to this Plan and Trust, or are otherwise delegated responsibility as Trustee by the Board of Trustees. '(7) "Break-in-Service" shall mean a 12-month period, measured over the plan Year, during which an Employee has not completed more than S0Ø Hours of Service. 3 /' '(8) , (9) , (1Ø) '. I. A Break-in-Service shall not occur in the plan year in which the Employee becomes a Participant, is deceased, retires, becomes Totally and Permanently Disabled, is on an "authorized leave of absen~e", or is on a "maternity or paternity leave of absence" as defined in section 16-54 (a) (16) : "City" shall mean the City of Clermont, Florida. "Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as \ amended. "Contribution" shall mean the City's annual contribution to the Plan as provided in section 16-56 (a) . The City shall at least quarterly transfer to the Trustee all funds received and funds appropriated by the Council as Contributions to the Plan. "Covered Compensation", or "Compensation" shall mean the annual compensation of a participant during a plan Year, including overtime pay, but excluding bonuses or payments made to or for such participant for travel and per diem expenses, health, hospitalization, sick leave or retirement benefits. '(12) "Council" shall mean the city Council of the City of Clermont, Florida. . (11) 4 '. '. '(13) "Effective Date" shall mean October 1, 1985. , (14) "Employee" shall mean any person in the full-time, permanent employ of the City as,a general government employee and not as a Police Officer or Firefighter, except where such Police Officer or Firefighter is classified as a general employee for purposes of the Plan. A permanent employee is an employee who has completed his probationary period, been approved for permanent status by the department head under whom he is employed, or the Council, if approved by it, and , " has been certified by the City Clerk as a permanent employee or is otherwise indicated to be a permanent employee on the personnel records of the City. An Employee is not any person who is a "contractor". '(15) "Fiscal year" shall mean the fiscal year of the City. ,(16) "Hour of Service" shall mean each hour for which an Employee is paid or entitled to payment for the performance of duties for the City during the applicable computation period. An Hour of Service shall also mean each hour for which the Employee is paid or entitled to payment by the City on account of a period of time during which no duties are performed (irrespective of whether the employment relationship has terminated) due to vacation, holiday, illness, incapacity (including disability), layoff, jury duty, military duty or leave of absence. For the purpose of this last sentence, a payment shall be deemed to have been 5 / . . made by or due from the City regardless of whether such payment is made by or, due from the City directly, or indirectly through, among others, a trust fund, insurer, or other entity, or wherein such payments are for the benefit of the particular Employee or are on behalf of a group of Employees in the aggregate. An Hour of Service shall also mean each hour for which backpay, irrespective of mitigation of damages, is either awarded or agreed to by the City. Notwithstanding the previous, no more than five hundred 'one (5Øl) Hours of Service shall be credited for payments of backpay to the extent that such backpay is agreed to or awarded for a single continuous period of time during which an Employee did not or would not have performed duties. Paragraphs (b) and (c) of Department of Labor Regulations Section 253Ø.2ØØb-2 are hereby incorporated by reference and made a part hereof. For Plan years beginning on and after October 1, 1985, Hours of Service shall be counted for a "maternity or paternity leave of absence", where such term shall mean an absence from work for any period by reason of the Employee's pregnancy, birth of the Employee's child, placement of a child with the Employee in connection with the adoption of such child, or any absence for the purposes of caring for such child for a period immediately following such birth or placement. Hours of Service credited under this provision 6 ~ , . ie shall be credited only for the computation period in which the absence from work begins, and shall be credited only if such credit is necessary to prevent the Employee from incurring a Break-in-Service during that computation period. If such leave of absence continues into the following computation period, and credit for Hours was not necessary in the period of commencement of the maternity or paternity of absence, then Hours will be credited during the next computation period if necessary to prevent the Employee I from incurring a Break-in-Service in that next computation period. In crediting Hours of Service under this provision, the Hours which will be credited are those which would normally have been credited if the Employee had not been absent from work. If the Trustee is unable to determine the hourly methodology as would have been normally credited, the method will be to credit eight (8) hours of service per day. No more than five hundred and one (501) Hours of Service will be credited under this "maternity or paternity leave of absence" provision during any computation period, and such credited Hours of Service will not be counted except for the purpose of determining a Break-in-Service. (17) "Limitation year" shall mean the plan year. (18) "participant" shall mean any active, retired, or terminated Employee who has rights to benefits under the provisions of this Plan. 7 i ;. Ie . (19) "Pension Account" shall mean a participant's individual account containing and resulting from the City's contributions on and after the Effective Date of this Plan, along with the investment earnings from such continuing deposits. '(2Ø) "Pla.n" shall mean the Retirement Plan for the General Employees of the City of Clermont, Florida. , (21) "plan Year" shall mean the twelve (12) month peri od beginning on October 1 and ending September 3Ø. '(22) "QVEC" shall mean a Qualified Voluntary Employee Contribution as defined in Code Section 219. . (23) "QVEC Account" shall mean the individual participant's account created under Section 16-58 of this Plan. '(24) "Trust" shall mean the Retirement Trust established by this indenture for the General Employees of the City of Clermont, Florida, together with such amendments hereto as may hereafter be legally made. , '. '(25) "Vesting" or "Vested" shall be as defined and determined in Section 16-6Ø (b) (1)'. . (26) "Year of Service" shall mean a twelve (12) month period during which an Employee has not less than 1,ØØØ Hours of Service. with respect to a Year of Credited Service and a Year of Vesting Service, the 12-month period shall be the Plan year. In the case of an Employee whose employment is terminated and is thereafter reemployed, Years of Vesting Service shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of Section 16-6Ø (b) (2)'. 8 ) te Ie ,(b) Gender. The masculine shall include the feminine and the neuter, the feminine shall include the masculine and the neuter, the neuter shall include the masculine and feminine, and the singular shall include the plural unless the context shall indicate otherwise. 9 /' (. I. SECTION 16-55 COVERAGE AND ELIGIBILTIY (a) Qualification as a Participant. (1) Except as provided in subparagraph (2) below, all active Employees who on September 30, 1985 were participants of another retirement plan sponsored by the City shall be eligible to participate in the Plan as of the Effective Date. Each Employee employed after the Effective Date shall become a Participant as of the first day of the month ~ following or coinciding with the date as of which he has completed one Year of Service with the City. (2) All employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement between employee representatives and the City, to which retirement benefits have been the subject of good faith bargaining, shall be excluded from coverage under this plan unless included by the City in the definition of Employee. (3) The term "participant" shall also include the teim"Transfer participant", which means a participant of another retirement plan sponsored by the City who has elected to transfer his participation to this Plan. (b) Re-participation. A former Plan Participant shall commence participation in this Plan immediately upon his return to the City's employ if such former Plan participant had a nonforfeitable right to all or a portion of his Pension Account balance at the time of his previous termination of employment. 10 '. , I. A re-employed former plan participant who did not have a nonforfeitable right to any portion of his Pension Account balance at the time of his previous termination shall be considered a new Employee for eligibility purposes, if the number of his consecutive one year Breaks-in-Service equals or exceeds the greater of (i) five years, or (ii) the aggregate number of Years of Service before such break. If the former Participant's Years of Service before his termination exceed the number of consecutive one-year Breaks-in-Service after such termination, or if such former , , Participant's consecutive one-year Breaks-in-Service are less than five, he shall commmence participation in this Plan immediately upon his return to the City's employ. If, after the Effective Date, a former Employee is reemployed after five (5) consecutive Breaks-in-Service, separate Pension Accounts for such former participant shall be maintained such that one Account maintains nonforfeitable benefits attributable to pre-break service and another Account maintains his status in the plan attributable to post-break service. , (c) Leave of Absence. A leav~ of absence for a period of not greater than two (2) years, authorized by the City for personal hardship or other unusual circumstance, shall not be considered a Break-in-Service, provided the Employee returns to active employment with the City within ten 11 / :. '. (10) days of the expiration of such leave of absence. Leaves of absence hereunder shall be granted in a nondiscriminatory manner applied to all Employees in similar circumstances. Such leave of absence shall not count toward Years of vesting Service or continuation by the City. (d) , Military Or Related Leave of Absence. When any Participant is inducted or enlists into (i) any of the armed , forces of the united States, or in any reserve component thereofi (ii) the United States Coast Guard, or in its reserve component, (iii) active duty in the armed forces of the united States, the United States Coast Guard, or the United States public Health Service in response to an order or call to active duty (hereafter referred to as "military or related service") and is subsequently re-employed by the City within ninety (90) days after release from any such service, such Participant shall again become a participant of the Plan, and shall be given credit for Years of Service before entering military or related service, and if approved by the Trustee, for the period of time spent in the military or related service as well. (e) Continuation of Employment. During a period of absence under either paragraph (c)' or (d) above, the Employee shall retain full eligibility under the Plan; provided, 12 Ie Ie however, that if any such Employee does not return to the City's employ within the required time after the expiration of the period of absence, said Employee shall be considered as having commenced a Break-in-Service, as defined in Section 16-54 (a) (7), at the beginning of his period of absence. . (f) Recognition as Participant. Every Employee entitled to participate in this plan shall be known as a "Participant", and within ninety (90) days after the date an I· Employee first becomes a Participant the Trustee shall provide him a Summary plan Description of the plan as then in force. . (9) participant Agrees to plan. Each Participant and Beneficiary shall be conclusively deemed for all purposes to have assented to this Plan and Trust Agreement and to all the terms and provisions hereof and shall be bound thereby with the same force and effect as though a party hereto. If requested to do so, an eligible Employee shall execute such participation or other forms as may be required by the Trustee. 13 :. i.' SECTION 16-56 CONTRIBUTIONS , (a) Contribution Formula. Except as provided in Section 16-58', an Employee is neither permitted nor required to contribute to the Plan. For the plan Year ending September 3Ø, 1986, and for each plan Year thereafter, the City shall contribute to the Pension Account of each active participant who was '. employed on the Anniversary Date an amount equal to the lesser of (i) seven percent (7%) of his annual Compensation, or (ii) the maximum Annual Addition permitted under paragraph (c), hereof. . (b) Payment of Contributions. The Contributions of the City for each Plan Year shall be made in quarterly installments; however, the City may, in its discretion, make its Fourth Quarter Contribution to the Trustee within sixty (6Ø) days after the end of the Plan Year. Any QVEC contributions must be deposited in the Trust within thirty (3Ø) days after the date of receipt of such contributions by the City. 14 :. '. (c)' Annual Additions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Paragraph (a)~ hereof, the "Annual Addition" amount added annually to the Pension Account of a Participant shall not exceed the lesser of twenty five .--------- "-_. percent (25%) of Compensation or $3Ø,ØØØ.øø (increased by permitted ------ cost of living adjustments as set forth in regulations issued by the Secretary of the Treasury or his designate pursuant to Code Section 415(d), as amended). The "Annual Addition" referred to herein shall include: (i) the Participant's share of the City's Contribution, and , , \ (ii) th9 lE''Õ'Õe.L~Qe.:-J1Blf_.Df,~l-l-t-he-Employee''s contnbutlons, '-or the Employee's contributions i.n C)(CCS£ of six pcrccf!.t.n~.£i%)of his Cowpe¡,s-a-ti-on. An Employee's QVEC contributions shall not be considered as Employee contributions for the purpose of the previous sentence. If the amount to be added to a Participant's Pension Account during a plan Year would exceed the above limitation on "Annual Additions", the excess amount shall be held unallocated in a suspense amount and then reallocated in the next plan Year to such Participant's Pension Account if such reallocation does not cause the maximum "Annual Addition" to be exceeded. No excess amounts shall be distributed to Participants or former Participants. 15 - . . (d) Exclusive Benefit of participants. Except under the circumstances set forth in Sections 16-63(jj and 16-59(c), at no time shall any,part of the funds hereunder revert to the City or be used or diverted to any purpose other than for the exclusive benefit of the participants or their Beneficiaries or estates. 16 ¡e Ie SECTION 16-57 ALLOCATION OF CITY CONTRIBUTIONS TO PENSION ACCOUNTS (a) During the Year of Termination of Employment. If a Participant's employment terminates for reasons other than death, disability, or retirement, his Pension Account shall rece ve an allocation of Contribution only if he is employed by the City on the last day of the Plan Year. (b) Accounting for Annual Allocations. The amount allocated to each Participant's Pension Account shall be credited in the name of such Participant on the books of the Trustee. Such allocation and credit shall not pass any right, title or interest in the Trust to the Participant except at the time or times and upon the terms and conditions hereinafter provided in Section 16-6Ø: 17 / '. . , y" /47. SECTION 16-58 C)/ I"- , A~ltl:l CONTRIBUTIO~ QUALIFIED VOLUNTARY EMPLOYEE (a) QVEC'S Authorized. ,¿.þM 11\ , fit) ¡,r1""' (,J r ,I I V'¡'" _I ¡" I ,~L n{Y ~ 11"""---' ~ I I? ¡. Employee Each participant may elect to make Qualified Voluntary Contributions in accordance with the terms and procedures provided in Paragraphs (b), (c) and (d'> of this Section 16-58. (b) Participant Election and withdrawal '" (1) A participant may elect to make Qualified Voluntary Employee contributions on a monthly or other basis corresponding to the City's pay periods. Such contributions shall be treated as "Deductible Employee Contributions" in accordance with rules governing such contributions under Code section 219. ~~ounts transferred to this plan under either the transfer or rollover provisions of this Plan shall not be treated as Deductible Employee Contributions. A Participant who does not elect to make Qualified Voluntary Employee Contributions, when first eligible, may later elect to commence the deduction of a QVEC. Such election shall be made by authorizing the City, in writing, on a form provided for such purpose, to deduct a designated sum. The sum designated for deduction as a QVEC shall be a maximum of the lesser of: (i) one hundred percent (100%) of the Participant's 18 / ;. . compensation from the City includable in the Participant's gross income. for the calendar year, or (ii) two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) for a calendar year, where such dollar amount shall be inclusive of any Individual Retirement Account which the Participant has also established for the limitation period. (2) The effective date òf the election to make a QVEC shall be not more than thirty (30) days after the date the written request is made to the City on the appropriate form. The first payroll deduction of a QVEC shall occur on the first payday of the mbnth coinciding with or subsequent to the effective date of the election. (3) The Participant shall be permitted to make a QVEC for the calendar year preceding his election if the QVEC is received by the earlier of April 15 of the calendar year in which the election is made or the date of filing of the Participant's individual tax return. (4) A participant may change the amount of a QVEC contribution with respect to a future calendar month or pay period by notifying the City, in writing, on a form provided for such purpose. The change in the QVEC contribution shall become effective not more than thirty (30) days after the request is 19 / '. '. received by the City. The first deduction of the revised QVEC shall occur on the first payday of the month coinciding with or subsequent to the effective date of the election. The amount deducted by the Participant must remain within the maximum limits I specified in Paragraph (b) (1) above. (5) A participant who is still employed may voluntarily withdraw all or part of his QVEC account by making a written request on a form provided for that purpose and forwarding the same to the Trustee. The withdrawal shall be distributed not later than thirty (30) days after the receipt of the participant's requèst. The exercise of this right of withdrawal shall in no way affect a participant's participation in the Plan, past or future Contributions made on his behalf or the basic retirement benefits provided by the Plan. The Trustee will, by written or oral disclosure, insure that the participant understands that a ten percent (10%) penalty is assessed on voluntary QVEC withdrawals because of Internal Revenue Service regulations, (unless the withdrawal is rolled-over to an Individual Retirement Account) . . (6) Except for a withdrawal pursuant to subparagraph (5) above, distributions of a participant's QVEC Account shall be made in the manner set forth below: (i) Normal or Delayed Retirement. At the time that benefit distribution commences under the Plan for a Participant aged 20 ---., . . 59-1/2 or greater, the participant's QVEC Account shall be distributed to him in a lump-sum. If distributions under . Section 16-60 commence before the Participant's attainment of age fifty-nine and one-half (59-1/2), the Trustee shall hold such QVEC Account until the Participant reaches age fifty-nine and one-half (59-1/2), dies, or becomes disabled. (ii) Upon termination of employment, Disability Retirement under the Plan, or upon termination of the plan, the Participant's QVEC Account shall be distributed to him in a lump-sum. In the case of distributions due to termination of employment or termination of the Plan to distributees who are less than age 59-1/2, the Trustee will disclose the 10% penalty to the distributee, (unless the distribution is rolled-over into an Individual Retirement Account) . (iii)In the event of the participant's death while any balance remains in his QVEC Account, such balance will be paid in a lump-sum to the Beneficiary then designated by the Participant, in writing on a form provided for such purpose, to receive such balance. If the Participant makes no such designation or if no designated Beneficiary survives the Participant, the distribution shall be to the person or persons entitled to receive other death benefits under the Plan. 21 ·, , . (7) A Participant's QVEC Account shall be fully vested and non-forfeitable at all times. (8) A participant's election or failure to elect to participate in a QVEC shall in no way affect a participant's participation in the plan, past or future Contributions made on his behalf, or the basic retirement benefits provided under the Plan. (c) Remittance of Participant's Qualified Voluntary Employee Contributions by the City. The City shall deduct designated QVEC's for each Participant from the compensation due the Participant either monthly or for each pay period as the City, in it discretion, shall determine. The total sum of all Participants' QVEC's shall be remitted to the Trustee by the City as provided in Section 16-56(b)~ hereof. The amount deducted shall be within the maximum amounts specified in Paragraph (b) (1), above. (d) Trustee Administration and Investment of QVEC's. (1) The Trustee shall establish and maintain a separate QVEC Account in the name of each participant to which the Participant's Qualified Voluntary Employee Contributions shall be credited. The participant's QVEC Account shall be valued on an annual basis, or otherwise as determined by the Trustee, and such valuation shall reflect the participant's Account balance as of the valuation date. 22 . . (2) In the event a Participant elects to voluntarily and completely withdraw his QVEC Account balance from the Trust Fund, the Trustee shall make a valuation of the Employee's QVEC Account as of the effective date of the withdrawal, crediting or debiting trust earnings since the last valuation date, on the basis of the estimated Trust investment earning rate. From the effective date of a complete withdrawal, a participant's QVEC Account shall not be credited with investment gains nor debited for investment losses. (3) The Trustee shall not be responsible for the failure of the City to perform any of its obligations under this Section 16-58' including but not limited to the duty to remit Participants' QVEC's to the Trustee or to provide necessary records concerning participating Employees or any other procedures required by the rules and regulations of the Trustee. Any time limits specified in this Section shall be tolled by the failure of the city to timely remit to the Trustee any necessary documents or records relating to a participant's QVEC. (4) The Trustee shall not be responsible to any participating Employee for any obligations beyond the extent of the assets on hand for the participating Employee. NO rights shall accrue as against the Trustee or the Trust Fund in the event of voluntary or involuntary termination of the plan by the city, beyond the assets on hand for the participating Employee. 23 , . . (5) The Trustee shall not be responsible to any participant or Participants for the separate investment of QVECs, and the Trustee may commingle QVECs with other plan funds for investment purposes, at the discretion of the Trustee. (6) The Trustee shall file periodic reports with the Internal Revenue Service and with the Participant concerning the Participant's QVEC. Such reports shall be filed at the time and in the manner in which such reports are required by the Internal Revenue Service on forms appropriate for such purposes. ", 24 '- . . SECTION 16-59 ACCOUNTING FOR PARTICIPANTS' INTERESTS IN PENSION ACCOUNTS (a) Valuation Date of Pension Accounts. The annual valuation date of Pension Accounts shall be the last day of the Plan year, (September 3Ø). As of such valuation date each year, all participant accounts shall be adjusted by the Trustee on the basis and in the order hereinafter set forth. \ (b) Reductions. The Pension Accounts shall be reduced by all amounts which are paid out or set aside (as provided under Paragraph (e) of this Section 16-59) due to the retirement, death, disability, resignation or other termination of a Participant since the preceding valuation date. The Pension Accounts of Employees who have retired, become disabled, or died since the first day of the Plan year shall share in the allocation of City's Contributions, and Trust investment earnings, as provided in the following paragraphs of this Section 16-59. The Pension Accounts of Employees who have resigned or been discharged since the first day of the Plan Year but prior to the last day of such year shall not participate in the allocation of Contributions for that year; however, such former Employees shall share in the Trust investment gains and losses for the Plan Year in which their employment terminates and, if applicable, the plan Year following which establishes their Break-in-Service. The Pension Accounts of such former Employees will be valued for distribution purposes as of the last day of the Plan Year in which a Break-in-Service occurs. 25 . . (c) Forfeitures. After the reductions provided for in Paragraph (b), above, all amounts in a former Employee's Pension Account which are not Vested shall become forfeitures as of the last day of the Plan Year in which a one-year Break-in-Service is determined. Such forfeitures shall be used by the City to reduce the City's required Contribution under , Section 16-56(a) for the current or future Plan year. (d) Valuation and Allocation. The Trustee shall maintain a Pension Account for each eligible \ Participant, to which shall be credited the amount of each Contribution received on behalf of such participant, along with the pro-rata gains to such Participant's Account from its participation in any pooled investment, and to which shall be debited any investment losses, expenses of administration (if not otherwise reimbursed by the City) and distributions to the Participant. The allocation of gains and losses shall be based on the balance of each participant's Pension Account as of the end of the preceding plan Year in proration to the total balances of all ,Participants' Pension Accounts as of that same date. For purposes of the preceeding paragraph, assets shall be valued at their fair market value at the end of each plan Year (and upon the segregation of any portion of a pooled investment), and the appropriate debits and credits to the accounts of each Participant shall then be made. 26 \ ( . . As long as this Trust has any investments in a common trust fund available only to pension trusts and profit sharing trusts which meet the requirements of Sections 4Øl(a) and 5Øl(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, such common trust funds shall constitute an integral part of this plan and Trust. (e) Segregated Accounts for Former participants. The amounts to which former Participants are entitled (but which have not been paid out) may, at the discretion of the Trustee, be severed from the Trust and set aside, and held and invested by the Trustee in segregated accounts, in which event a Participant shall no longer participate in the gains or losses of the Trust nor in the increases and decreases in the value of the assets thereof, but shall only be credited or charged with the gains or losses, and with increases and decreases of that portion of the Trust so set aside in his segregated account. All segregated accounts shall be actively and prudently invested, in the same manner as the accounts of current Participants hereunder, and the Trustee may charge such accounts with a prorated portion of the fees and expenses incurred in the administration of the Plan. This provision shall be applied in a nondiscriminatory manner to all participants similarly situated. 27 . . SECTION 16-6Ø BENEFITS FROM PENSION ACCOUNTS (a) Full Distribution of Benefits. The benefits credited to the Pension Account of each Participant shall be vested as provided herein and the net value thereof shall be distributed to the Participant by the Trustee upon the happening of / any of the events described in subparagraphs (lí through (4), below, as follows: \ (1) Retirement. If the participant retires on or after attaining retirement age, as hereinafter defined, the full amount credited to the Participant's Pension Account as of the Anniversary Date of the Plan Year of retirement shall be distributed to him in accordance with Paragraph (c)' of this Section 16-6Ø~ A participant shall be deemed to have attained retirement age upon the last day of the month in which he attains his sixty-fifth (65th) birthday and has been credited 'with at least ten (1Ø) years of Vesting Service; provided, however, that if the Participant remains employed by the City after reaching said retirement age, he shall continue to be a Participant hereunder until the last day of the Plan Year during which he actually retires. 28 . . (2) Disability Retirement. If a Participant terminates employment under a determination of being "permanently and Totally Disabled", as defined below, distribution shall be made to him as though he had retired under the provision of Paragraph (a) (1), above, as if he had attained retirement age on the last day of the month during which a determination of disability is issued by the Trustee. A participant shall be considered Permanently and Totally Disabled on such date as a medical examiner selected by the Trustee certifies that he is mentally or physically unable to further perform any service for the Cit~ and that such disabiiity is likely to be permanent. This provision shall be applied in a nondiscriminatory manner to all Participants similarly situated. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in the event a Participant becomes permanently and Totally Disabled after terminating employment with the City and incurring a Break- in-Service, the payment to be made to such disabled Participant shall be limited to his QVEC Account and his vested interest in his Pension Account based on the number of his Vesting Years of Service prior to the plan Year in which he became disabled and taking into account his Hours of Service during the plan year in which disability occurred. 29 \ . . (3) Death. In the event of the death of a participant (or former Participant whose Pension Account balance has not been fully , distributed under Section 16-59(e», the amount credited to his Pension Account and his QVEC Account shall be paid, as soon as practicable after the date of death, in the manner set forth in Paragraph (c) of this Section 16-6Ø and, if applicable, Section 16-58(b), to the Beneficiary or Beneficiaries designated by the Participant, or if none have been so designated, to his surviving spouse, or if none, to his then living issue, ~ stirpes, or if \ none, to the personal representative of his estate. The designation of Beneficiaries shall be made in writing on forms furnished by the Trustee at the time the Employee becomes eligible to participate in this Plan. Said designations may be revoked or changed in the same manner. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in the event a Participant dies after terminating employment with the City and incurring a Break-in-Service, the payment to be made to such deceased Participant's Beneficiary from his Pension Account shall be limited to the deceased Participant's vested interest based on the number of Years of Vesting service prior to the Plan Year in which death occurred and taking into account his Hours of Service during the Plan Year in which he died. 3Ø \ . . (4) Termination of Plan and Trust. In the event of the termination or partial termination of this Plan, the City may elect to continue this Trust in full effect, in which case benefits shall be paid to Participants in accordance with the provisions of Section 16-62 (d). Notwithstanding the above, if the City continues this Trust in effect, a participant may receive full and immediate distribution of his benefits from the Plan by filing an irrevocable written election with the Trustee within one (1) year after the effective date of termination ~f the plan. The City may elect instead to terminate the Trust, in which event the Trustee shall pay over to each participant, within six (6) months thereafter, the entire balance credited to his Pension Account and QVEC Account. The termination or partial termination of the Plan, or the complete discontinuance of contributions by the City, shall result in the full vesting of benefits hereunder. (b) Other Termination of Employment. If a Participant terminates employment and thereafter incurs a Break- in-Service for any reason other than as referred to in paragraph (a), above, (for example, by resignation or discharge by the City), his benefits under this Plan shall be limited to his QVEC Account and the vested interest in his Pension Account. ---',p....... _-1 ¿ 5t:1- AJ'y.. tT~_·~- r-- 31 /' . . (1) Vested Interest. A terminated participant's vested interest in his Pension Account shall be distributed to him pursuant to Paragraph (c) of this Section 16-6Ø upon his retirement date (as defined in Paragraph (a), above), unless the Trustee shall, in its discretion but pursuant to its policy of treating all Employees similarly situated in an equal manner, consent to earlier payment. Such vested interest shall be determined in accordance with the following schedule: Years of Service Less than 5 years 5 years 6 years 7 years 8 years 9 years lØ years or more Vested Interest Ø% 5Ø% 6Ø% 7Ø% 8Ø% 9Ø% lØØ% (2) Vested Interest Upon Reemployment. A former Participant who is rehired by the City and who had a nonforfeitable right to all or any portion of his Pension Account at the time of his termination shall receive credit for all Years of Service (as calculated in the preceding paragraph) prior to his Break-in-Service. A former Participant who did not have a nonforfeitable right to all or any portion of his Pension Account at the time of his termination shall receive credit for Years of Service prior to his Break-in-Service only if the number of consecutive one-year BreaKs-in-Service is less than the greater of (i) the aggregate number of his Years of Service before such a breaK, or (ii) five (5) years. 32 \ ( . . The vested interest of a Participant who terminates his employment and is then re-employed without incurring a Break-in-Service shall remain unchanged and upon his re-employment said Participant's vested interest shall be identical to such interest as it existed on his previous date of termination, less any distribution of such Vested interest in the interim time period thereof. No amendment to the above Vesting schedule shall deprive a Participant of his nonforfeitable right to benefits accrued prior to the effective date of the amendment. In addition, if the Vesting schedule is amended, then each participant with at least five (5) Years of Service with the City at that time shall have his nonforfeitable percentage computed under the Vesting schedule which is more favorable to him. (3) Unvested Interest Forfeited. The portion of a terminated Participant's Pension Account which is not Vested shall be forfeited, as of the end of the plan Year in which his first Break-in-Service occurs, and shall be applied in accordance with . Section 16-59(c). 33 . . . '(c) Maximum Time At Which Benefits Must Commence Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the payment of all retirement benefits under this plan must begin within sixty (60) days after the end of the Plan Year following the later of: (a, The participant's attainment of retirement age, (b) The Participant's termination of employment, or (c) The Participant's tenth (10th) anniversary of participation in the Plan. (d) Termination of participation. Subject to the re-entry requirements contained in Section 16-55(b)~ the termination of active service as an Employee of the City shall constitute termination of participation hereunder, except that if the active service of a Participant is suspended on account of a permitted leave of absence or absence for military or related service, as provided under sections 16-55 (c) and (d), his participation shall not be deemed to have terminated. In the event of a permitted leave of absence or absence for military or related service, the Participant shall not share in contributions made by the City during his absence, but he shall continue to share in Trust investment gains and losses, on a pro-rata basis, as provided in Section 16-59 (d) . 34 "-- ( . ( , . SECTION 16-61 RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF THE TRUSTEE (a) Acceptance of Trust. The Trustee hereby accepts the Trust created hereunder and agrees to perform its duties under this Plan and Trust Agreement. (b) Assets Held as Single Fund. The Trustee shall take control of the Trust assets and shall hold, invest and reinvest them, together with the income thereof, in its absolute discretion. The Trustee is explictly authorized to utilize the services of a Master Trust approach if deemed in the best interest of the Trust and Participants. All Contributions from time to time paid to the Trustee by or on behalf of the City, and the income therefrom, may be held and administered by the Trustee as a single fund, and the Trustee shall not be required to segregate or invest separately any share of the Trust except as provided by Section 16-59 (e) . (c) Investments. The Trustee shall be solely responsible for establishing the Plan's funding policy and method and, in amplification of the foregoing, may invest or cause the investment of the funds hereunder in such bonds, common or preferred stock, mutual funds or other securities, 35 " ( . . mortgages, real or personal property of every kind and nature, stock options (including puts and calls), or other such investments or master trusts, as in its sole discretion it may deem advisable, subject always to the overriding requirement that no investment shall be made which is prohibited by the Internal Revenue Code, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, or the Florida statutes. The Trustee, in its discretion, may negotiate, execute and deliver an option or agreement for purchase of any securities, including bonds, preferred and common stocks, mutual funds or any other property, real or personal. Further, the Trustee may hold such investments in its own name or in the name of a nominee or nominees with or without a disclosure of the Trust; it may retain in cash and keep unproductive of income such portion of the funds as may be deemed advisable; it may vote upon any stocks, bonds or other securities of any corporation or other issuer of securities held in trust, and generally may exercise any of the powers of an owner with respect to stocks, bonds or other securities or property comprising the Trust. Notwithstanding any provisions contained herein, all investments under this Plan shall be made by the Trustee in a prudent manner, and in making investments all participants shall be treated equally and on a nondiscriminatory basis. In addition, the Trustee shall maintain diversity in selecting such investments unless under the circumstances it is clearly prudent not to do so. 36 \ ( . . The Trustee shall have the power to appoint an "Investment Manager", as defined below, to manage, (which shall include the power to acquire and dispose of), all or any part of the Trust. If an Investment Manager is so appointed, written notice thereof shall be given to the Council and the City, along with written acknowledgment of such appointment executed by such Investment Manager, which shall set forth the Investment Manager's acceptance of his or its status as a fiduciary of the Plan. The Trustee shall have no fiduciary liability for the acts or omissions of such Investment Manager or be under any obligation to invest, otherwise manage or inquire as to the disposition of that portion of the Trust Fund which is subject to the control of the Investment Manager. with respect to the previous paragraph, an "Investment Manager" is any fiduciary, other than a Trustee of this Plan, who: (i) has the power to manage, acquire or dispose of any portion of the Trust Fund; (ii) is registered as an investment advisor under the Investment Advisors' Act of 1940; and (iii) has acknowledged in writing that he or it is a fiduciary with respect to the Plan. 37 ( . I , . (d) Records and Reports. The Trustee shall keep accurate and detailed records of the administration of the Plan and Trust, which records shall be open to inspection at all reasonable times to any person designated in writing by the City. Within ninety (90) days following the close of each plan year, the Trustee shall provide the City with a written statement and report setting forth all investments, receipts and disbursements and other transactions effected during such year, and containing an exact description of all securities purchased and sold, and the cost or net proceeds of sale, and showing the securities and other Plan assets held at the end of the year, and the cost of each item. The Trustee shall be solely responsible for maintaining all records of the plan and Trust and preparing and filing all reports, tax returns and other materials required by the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Labor, and the State of Florida, and for supplying the Participants and Beneficiaries with all information and forms regarding the operation of this Plan and Trust as may be required by law. (e) Compensation and Expenses. The City shall pay to any Trustee who is not an employee of the City such reasonable compensation for services rendered as may from time to time be agreed upon between the City and the Trustee. The City shall payor reimburse the Trustee for all reasonable èxpenses incurred in the execution of its duties hereunder, including fees for 38 \ ( . . legal, accounting, investment and other professional services. If permitted by the City in writing, such compensation and expenses may be charged against and paid out of the Trust. (f) Communication in writing. Any determination or action of the City pursuant to the provisions of this plan and Trust shall be authorized by the City and communicated in writing to the Trustee. (g) Fiduciary Responsibility. The Trustee, as a named fiduciary of this plan and Trust, is charged with full responsibility for the administration and operation of the Plan, which shall include compliance with Chapter 112 (Part VII) Florida Statutes and other applicable Florida law. The Trustee, has the power to construe all terms, rules, conditions, and limitations for the Plan, and its construction made in good faith shall be final and conclusive upon all parties' interests. (h) Removal and Resignation of Trustee. The Trustee may be removed and successors may be appointed and later removed by the City by the delivery to such Trustee of a written directive by an authorized representative of the City to that effect. The Trustee may resign by the delivery to the City of a written resignation. Such removal or resignation shall become 39 \ ( . ( . effective immediate from the date of the delivery of the directive or resignation, as the case may be, unless a later date is agreed upon by the City and the Trustee. In the event of such removal or resignation, the successor Trustee, upon acceptance of the appointment by an instrument in writing delivered to the City, shall become vested with all the rights and assume all the duties specified under this Plan and Trust Agreement. Upon such appointment and acceptance, the former Trustee shall endorse, transfer and assign to the successor Trustee all of the funds, securities and other pro~erty then held by it in the Trust, and shall deliver to the successor Trustee such records as may be reasonably required for the proper administration of the Trust hereunder. (i) Agents and Employees. The Trustee shall have the power to select, employ and compensate, or cause to compensate from time to time such consultants, actuaries, accountants, attorneys, investment counsel, and other agents and employees as it deems necessary and advisable in the proper and efficient administration of the Plan. 40 ( . . SECTION 16-62 AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION (a) Right to Amend or Terminate. To the extent consistent with Internal Revenue Code requirements of qualification, the City reserves the right at any time to terminate and from time to time amend this Plan and Trust, in whole or in part, either retroactively or prospectively, by delivering to the Trustee a written amendment; provided, however, that the City shall have no power to amend this plan and Trust in such a manner as would cause or permit any of the Trust to be diverted to purposes other than for the exclusive benefit of the Participants or their Beneficiaries or estates, or to take such action as would cause or permit any portion of the assets of the Trust to revert to or become the property of the . . City, except as permitted under Section 16-63(J), and provided further that no amendment shall cause or permit retroactive diminution of any rights which the participants have acquired with respect to Contributions made previous to the date of any such amendment. Any amendment to this plan and Trust shall be approved and executed by the City and the Trustee. An amendment which affects the rights of any Participants hereunder shall be communicated to those Participants. 41 \ . . (b) Assumption by Successor Employer. In the event of the termination of further Contributions to this Plan, the City's obligations hereunder may be assumed by any municipality or other corporation which employs a substantial number of the participants of the Plan. Such assumption shall be made . pursuant to Section 16-63(e) hereof, and shall be evidenced by an agreement between such municipality or other corporation and the Trustee. (c) Permanent Discontinuance of Contributions. Permanent discontinuance on the part of the City of further Contributions shall constitute termination of this Plan; provided, however, that the City shall have the option of continuing the operation of the Trust. Said termination and continuance shall be , handled in accordance with Sections 16-6Ø(a) (4) and 16-62(d) hereof. For the purpose of this paragraph, permanent discontinuance will not be deemed to have occurred merely because of a temporary suspension of contributions, as long as the City incurs an obligation to make up missed Contributions, plus accrued interest at the actual rate of Trust investment gains, (but not losses), during years of suspended Contributions. 42 \ c . . (d) Distribution of Funds in the Event of plan Termination. Upon termination of the Plan for any reason, including the permanent discontinuance of Contributions, the Pension Account of each Participant, to the extent then funded, shall be non- forfeitable. If this Plan is discontinued, no further Contributions will be made by either the Participants or the City and the funds held in Trust shall be allocated for the retirement income of each Participant, Beneficiary, Contingent Annuitant, or spouse in the following order of precedence: (1) First, to provide for the payment of each participant's QVEC Account Benefit determined as of the earlier of the date of termination of the plan or the Participant's date of actual retirement; (2) Second, to provide for the payment of (i) the termination benefit of each Participant, Beneficiary, Contingent Annuitant, or spouse who was receiving payment of his benefit under the plan as of the beginning of the three (3) year period ending on the date of termination of the Plan and (ii) the benefit of each participant who was eligible to retire on or before the beginning of the three (3) year period ending on the date of termination of the Plan but who did not retire, where such benefit is determined in accordance with the terms of the Plan as in effect during the five (5) year period ending on the date of termination of the Plan under which such benefit would be the least, but only 43 \ ( . ( . to the extent such benefit exceeds his benefit determined as of the earlier of the date of termination of the plan or his date of actual retirement; (3) Third, to provide for the payment of the benefit of each Participant, Beneficiary, Contingent Annuitant, or spouse who is receiving payment of his benefit (including those Participants who are eligible for a deferred benefit) as of the date of termination of the plan to the extent such benefit exceeds the benefit to which assets have been allocated in accordance with . ' Subparagraphs (1) and (2) of this paragraph (d); and (4) Fourth, to provide for the payment of all other benefits under the Plan. Such allocation shall be made with respect to each of the foregoing classes without regard to the order in which the individuals of such class attained, or shall attain, their Normal Retirement Date and shall be allocated pro-rata among such individuals on the basis of the lump-sum actuarial equivalent, (determined as of the date of termination of the plan), of their respective retirement income, (or other Plan benefits), as'of the date of termination or partial termination. The interest of any participant in the plan as of the date of termination or partial termination is non-forfeitable to the extent that such interest is funded. 44 \ . . SECTION 16-63 MISCELLANEOUS (a) Nonrestriction of the City's Employment and Business Policies. Nothing in this plan shall be construed as a contract of employment nor as modifying or limiting in any way the right of the City to terminate the employment of any Participant, to establish policy, or otherwise to conduct its business of municipal government. (b) Interest in Fund not Subject to Creditor's Claims. Subject to the provisions of Paragraph (0)', below, none of the benefits, payments, proceeds, claims or rights of any participant hereunder shall be subject to the claims of creditors, or to attachment or garnishment or other legal process, nor shall any Participant have any right to allocate, anticipate, commute, pledge, encumber or assign any of the benefits, payments or proceeds which he may expect to receive hereunder. (c) Predecessor Employer. If the City by adopting this Plan is maintaining the plan of a predecessor employer, then service for such predecessor shall be treated as service for the City. 45 \ . ( . (d) Intention to Continue Plan. The City expects to continue this Plan and the payment of Contributions hereunder indefinitely; however, the continuance thereof is not assumed as a contractual obligation of the City, and in the event of the termination of the plan for any reason, the distribution of the funds in the Trust shall be made in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Plan. (e) Continuation of Plan by Successor Employer. If the City shall be merged or consolidated with any municipality or other corporation, such surviving entity may elect within thirty (30) days thereafter to continue this Plan. In such event those Participants who continue their employment with the successor entity shall remain as Participants of this Plan without a Break-in- Service. Those Participants who are not employed by the successor municipality or other corporation or, if such successor does not continue this plan, shall be deemed to have retired regardless of age and shall receive the full amount in their Pension Accounts, to be , paid in accordance with the provisions of Section 16-60(c). In any event, after any such merger or consolidation, a Participant shall be entitled to receive a benefit which is at least equal in value to the benefit he would have been entitled to receive before the merger or consolidation if the plan had then been terminated. 46 ( . ( . (f) Controlled or Affiliated Service Group. If the City is a member of a controlled group of corporations (as defined in Code Section 414(h), or a group of trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated) under common control (as defined in Code Section 414(c), as modified by Code Section 415(h», or an affiliated service group (as defined in Section 414(m), then for purposes of participation, vesting and determining Annual Additions, all employees of all member corporations or entities shall be treated as employed by a single employer. (g) Rights against City. Neither the establishment of this Plan, nor any allocation made hereunder, nor the payment of any benefit, shall be construed as giving a Participant or any other person a legal or equitable right against the City, the Trustee, or any Employee thereof, except as herein expressly provided or as required by law. (h) Minors and Incompetents. If the Trustee determines that any person entitled to payments hereunder is a minor or incompetent by reason of physical or mental disability, it may make all payments thereafter becoming due to such person to any other person for the benefit of the minor or 47 r. . incompetent, without responsibility to follow the actual application of amounts so paid. Payments properly made pursuant to this direction shall completely discharge the City and the Trustee from all liability connected therewith. (i) Applicable Law. The provisions of this Plan and Trust Agreement shall be construed, administered and enforced according to the laws of the State of Florida, except to the extent that such laws are inconsistent with or superseded by the Code or the Act. (j) Mistake of Fact. In the event the City shall make a Contribution to the Trust under a mistake of fact, the City may demand repayment of the amount so contributed at any time within one (1) year following the time of payment, and the Trustee shall then return such amount to the City within said one (1) year period. (k) Restrictions on Return of Contributions. For the purpose of Paragraph (j)' above, the amount that may be returned to the City shall be limited to the excess of the amount contributed by the City to the plan over the amount that would have been contributed had the mistake of fact not occurred. 48 . . Trust investment earnings attributable to the Contributions returned under Paragraph (j) above, shall not revert to the City, but any losses attributable thereto must reduce the amount so returned. . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Paragraph (j) , no amounts shall be returned to the City to the extent that such return would cause the or the Pension Account of any Participant to be reduced to less than the balance that existed prior to the mistake of fact. (1) Claims. A Participant, former Participant, or Beneficiary may file with the Trustee a written claim for benefits upon the occurrence of any event which in the claimant's opinion gives rise to the payment of benefits hereunder. In the event the Trustee shall determine that the claimant is not entitled to the claimed benefits, the Trustee shall so notify the claimant in writing within ninety (9Ø) days of receipt of the claim and shall set forth the reasons for such determination, with specific reference to the terms of this Plan upon which the denial is based. The claimant may request that an adverse determination be reviewed by the Trustee and shall be given the opportunity within ninety (9Ø) days of said request to present any additional information which may establish his right to the benefit so claimed. The decision of the Trustee with respect to any such 49 · ( e: appeal shall be rendered in writing and shall be delivered or mailed to the claimant within sixty (60) days following receipt of the appeal. The Trustee's decisio,n shall be final and binding on all parties. (m) Transfer of Interest. At the request of a Participant who has terminated employment, the Trustee will transfer the nonforfeitable interest of such Participant in his QVEC Account or Pension Account to another trust forming part of a pension or profit sharing plan maintained by such Participant's new employer and meeting the requirements of Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code (provided that the Trust to which such transfer is made specifically permits the transfer), or to the Participant for the "roll-over" of such distribution within sixty (60) days into an Individual Retirement Account, as defined in Code Section 408. Upon request of an Employee, the Trustee will accept funds transferred from a qualified plan or "conduit" Individual Retirement Account to the account of a participant under the Plan, provided that the plan from which funds are transferred specifically permits the transfer and the Trustee is satisfied that the transfer will not jeopardize the qualified status of this Plan. 50 ( . . The Trustee will accept funds from an Employee consisting of employer contributions to a prior qualified pension or profit sharing plan or Individual Retirement Account if paid to the Trustee by the Employee within sixty (60) days of receipt of same from said prior plan. With regard to any funds transferred to this plan hereunder, the Trustee shall maintain a separate, nonforfeitable account for the amount transferred, along with its share of the investment gains and losses of the Trust, until such Participant's other plan interests are completely nonforfeitable, at which time the two accounts may be merged. (n) Agent for Service of Process. For all purposes under this Plan, including for the filing of claims \ pursuant to Paragraph (1) above, the Trustee shall be the agent for service of process. (0) Alternative Payees. All rights and benefits, including distribution elections, provided to a participant under this Plan shall be subject to the rights afforded to any "alternate payee" under a "qualified domestic relations order" as those terms are defined in Code Section 414(p). 51 ~ . . (p) Limitations of Benefits for Certain Employees Notwithstanding any provision in this plan to the contrary, during the first (10) ten years after the Effective Date hereof, the benefits provided by the City's Contributions for Participants whose annual benefit provided by such Contributions will exceed $1,500, but applicable only to the twenty-five (25) highest paid employees as of the time of establishment of the Plan (including any such highest paid employees who are not Participants at that time but may later become participants) shall be subject to the following conditions: (1) Such benefits (including any withdrawal values available to a Participant'or any death or survivor's benefits payable on behalf of a deceased, retired Participant) which have been provided by the City's Contributions shall be paid in full not exceeding the largest of the fOllowing amounts: (i) $20,0Ø0¡ or (ii) An amount equal to 20% of the first $50,0Ø0 of the Participant's average regular annual compensation multiplied by the number of years since the Effective Date. (2) If the Plan is terminated or the full current costs thereof have not been met at any time within ten (10) years after the Effective Date, the benefits which any of the participants described in the first paragraph of this Paragraph (p) may receive from the City's Contributions shall not exceed the . benefits set forth in Subparagraph (1) above. 52 . ( . 3) If a Participant described in Subparagraph (l~ of this Paragraph (p) leaves the employ of the City or withdraws from participation in the plan when the full current costs have not been met, the benefits which he may receive from the City's Contributions shall not at any time within the first ten (lØ) years after the Effective Date, exceed the benefits set forth in subparagraph (1), above. 4) These conditions shall not restrict the full payment of any insurance, death or survivor's benefits on behalf of a Participant who dies while the Plan is in full effect and its full current costs have been met. (5) These conditions shall not restrict the current payment of full retirement benefits called for by the Plan for any retired participant while the Plan is in full effect and its full current costs have been met. (6) In the event of termination of the plan within ten (lØ) years after the Effective Date, distributions to then unretired Participants other than the participants described in Paragraph (p) (1), above, shall include an equitable apportionment ,among such Participants of any excess benefits purchased by the City's Contributions for the participants described in 53 . ( . subparagraph (1) of this Paragraph (p), in the manner following: to each such other Participant in the ratio that the cash value of policies on the life of,each such Participant bears to the total cash value of all policies on the lives of all such other Participants. (7) This paragraph (p) is included in this Agreement in order to comply with the requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.401-4(c), and shall only be effective as long as that section (or any substitute thereto) remains effective and applicable. (q) Interest on Late Benefit Payments. Pension payments, although not promptly paid for any reason, and any other payments to be made out of the Trust, although not paid promptly for any reason, shall not bear interest unless so ordered by the Trustee, who shall have discretion to fix the rate and calculate any such interest, and in such event, the interest to be paid shall not exceed the then current rate of interest being returned on the funds on deposit in the Trust. (r) Protection Against Fraud and Deceit, Penalties. Whosoever with intent to deceive shall make or cause to be made any statement" report, certificate, election, notice, claim or other instrument authorized or required under this Plan, whether of the enumerated employee classes or otherwise, which shall be untrue, or who shall falsely or cause to commit to be falsified any record comprising any 54 " ',...... ·' . part of the operation or administration of the Plan contemplated by this Agreement, shall be punished as provided by the City Code of the City of Clermont, Florida. Any such violation shall also be punishable as provided under the laws of the State of Florida. 55 \ \ ,~ ,~ IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Plan and Trust Agreement this ~~ day of ~ 198 c.. Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of: CITY OF CLERMONT, FLORIDA r ~L- City Manager ~..j :.,~ ' '?- ~ ~\1~'."'~" ,.;)'~ . #'.. ~~ ~ -~~. ~'-~ /}, / L __1ß ¿, ~ ~~. '~_~ t.{/J~ .::f ~ ..,10.. C'''t ~ :;;::.; S ,t..O~ ...~t- Y .;:: <-;,ç - ~ - -:..:s --. r ;.b."'" '- ª:<l # Ei(tOIfPORATE SEAL) ~ _.~ .."*I;-;.....;,E' ~ ?.... -...... ._?...~;::. ~ ~ ....."...... (::. ~ ....~A:. ~ - ~-~.,;...--- '~''-l§ ~# ....1,~'.. - . ~'\~ "//y ..¿,.: . ~ ...::~ '. ~.þ ?i. ¡,,\\' ~ " TRUSTEE: BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPOINTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CLERMONT, FLORIDA 23 L £ -'~ w/~ As to Trustee 56